Apparatus for piling layers of fabric



Jam-19, 1932. L. N. GROSS APPARATUS FOR FILING LAYERS OF FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1930 gh-oenioi;

A y W W Jan. 19, 1932. 1.. N. GROSS 1,842,164

APPARATUS FOR FILING LAYERS OF FABRIC Filed May 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITE LOUIS N. GROSS, OF GLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO APPARATUS FOR PILIN G LAYERS OF FABRIC Application filed May 5, 1930. Serial No. 449,769.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for piling layers of fabric, and more particularly to a method and apparatus which is adapted to pile a large number of comparatively long layers of fabric on a bench or table in a clothing factory, so that a corresponding number of patterns may be cut out of the fabric by a single operation of a power-driven knife.

In modern garment factories it is the general practice to provide benches or tables which may be 200 or more feet long, and on which the cutters work. Strips of fabric nearly as long as the tables are piled evenly on the tables, and each pile may contain from 200 to 500 separate layers of fabric. The desired patterns are then cut out of the entire pile, thus producing a large number of patterns by a single cutting operation. I Heretofore it has been the practice to pile the fabric on the benches by hand,an operation which requires a large amount of time and labor, because of the fact that the fabric, which is supplied in large rolls or bolts, must be pulled out to a length of, for example, 200 feet, and placed over the layer immediately below it, then the edges of the fabric must be aligned with the edges of the other pieces in the pile, and any wrinkles and creases must be removed. It will be readily seen that to pile from 200' to 500 layers of fabric in this manner is a slowand expensive process.

It has also been proposed to mount a supply of fabric on a cart, which is adapted to be pushed along on the top of the bench or table. The end of the fabric is secured to one end of the bench and the cart is then moved to the other end, the fabric being pulled out and laid on the bench as the cart progresses. When the cart reaches the other end of the bench, the fabric is folded over on itself, the cart is returned to the starting point, and the operation is continued until the desired number of strips have been laid in the pile. This method is also slowand involves a considerable amount of manual labor, and has a further serious disadvantage in that opposite surfaces of the cloth are up- 50 permost in the alternate strips. Thus it will be seen that it is impractical to use this method in connection with fabrics having-the two surfaces thereof finished differently, as half of the patterns cut from the pile would be the reverse of the patterns desired.

Accordingly, the general object of my in 'vention is to provide a method of and apparatus for rapidly and economically piling layers of fabric. Another object is to provide a method of piling fabric, which will involve a minimum amount of manual labor. A further object is to provide a method of piling fabric which will quickly produce piles which are free from wrinkles, and in which the same surface of the fabric will be uppermost in each layer throughout the pile. Another object of my invention is to provide a simple, easily constructed machine for piling fabric, which may be readily adapted to existing cuttingrooms in garment factories, and which, when in place, will not interfere with the ordinary cutting process. A still further object of my invention is to provide a machine for pulling out strips from a supply of fabric, without tearing, distorting or unduly straining the fabric.

Further advantages and objects will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form of my invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. The invention consist-s of the matter hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. According to the method disclosed herein, a supply of fabric is positioned adjacent one end of a long bench on which a pile is to be formed. The advance end of the fabric is then gathered together, to prevent tearing thereof, and the gathered portion is clamped or otherwise secured to a conveyor, the point of attachment of the advanced end of the fabric to the conveyor being well above the bench. The conveyor is then operated at a relatively high speed, so that the fabric will be pulled out from the definitely located supply, and will travel from one end of the bench to the other in a very short time. The velocity of the fabric through the air is such that the air and the tenslon of the fabric will cooperate to support it away from the table and the previously laid strip. Thus each strip of fabric practically floats over the previously laid strip until the conveyor is stopped with the advanced end of the strip, at the end of the table remote from the supply of fabric, at which time the fabric settles down onto the pile and the action of the air prevents the formation of troublesome wrinkles.

Briefly, a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out the method outlined above, comprises a bench or table on which the fabric is to be piled, a support for a bolt or roll of cloth at one end of the bench or table,..and a conveyor mechanism comprising a continuous, flexible member having a series of clamps attached thereto, and guides for the clamps, all positioned above the table, for pulling out the fabric from the definitely located supply and carrying it from one end of the table to the other.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 indicates a side elevation of a machine made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal crosssectional view taken. along the line 22 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of the clamping mechanism. Fig. 5 is an elevation on an enlarged scale, showing the adjustable support at one end of the machine; Fig. (i is a vertical cross-section, taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a vertical sec tion taken along the line 77 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 8 is a vertical section along the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the long cutting table is indicated at 10, on which a pile of fabric, 11, may be placed. The fabric 12 may be supplied from a fanfolded belt 12a, supported at one end of the table in a compartment 13, and may be guided by a transverse bar 13a carried by the walls of the compartment.

To pull out the fabric from the bolt, and to carry it from one end of the table to the other, I have provided an overhead conveyor mechanism, indicated generally at 14. This mechanism may comprise a cable, 15, of leather, hemp or other suitable material, which may be supported over the center of the table by pulleys, 16 and 17, disposed at opposite ends of the table. The grooves of the pulleys 16 and 17 may be provided with rubber linings 16a and 17a, respectively. In order to carry the fabric along over the table, fabric engaging clamps 18 are secured to the cable at convenient intervals. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the body of each clamp may comprise a member formed from a single sheet of metal, and having a normally horizontal portion, 19, a portion 20., extending in a direction perpendicular to the cable, and normally vertical, and a horizontal portion, 21, to which, the fabric may be secured. To hold the clamps in place on the belt, a clamping member, 22, is secured to the horizontal portion 19, by means of bolts 23. This provides a convenient method whereby the clamps may be placed in any desired position upon the cable, and because of the rubber linings in the pulley groove; the members 22 do not interfere with the operation of the cable on the pulleys.

In order to facilitate rapid and secure attachment of the fabric to the clamp, a rectangular aperture may be cut in the hori zontal ly extending portion, 21, of the clamp, as at 24, and a bar, 25, having bifurcated ends, 26, which engage the sides of the horizontally extending portion, may be slidably supported within the aperture.

Thus, in order to securely attach the cloth to the clamp, the operator has-only to gather the advanced portions of the cloth, bring such gathered portions up through the aperture, around the bar and down through the aperture again, and the pull of the clamp on the fabric will securely fasten the fabric in place, the bar moving in a direction away from the vertical portion, 20.

The entire en d port-ion of the cloth may be gathered, or any particular region of such end portion, but I find that the quickest operation is attained by gathering only one corner of the cloth, shown in Fig. 3, but whether one corner or other region of the end portion is gathered, the gathering results in the distribution of the pull of the clamp on the cloth throughout a great number of threads, and precludes the possibility of any tearing, distortion or undue strain on the end portion of each strip.

The clamp is so arranged tbai a single jerk upon the fabric in the direction towards the vertical portion 20, as shown in Fig. 4, will cause the bar to move along the aperture towards the vertical portion, and release the fabric. In order to prevent the fabric from binding against the vertical portion of the clamp, and to prevent the bar from travelling too far in that direction, stops 2'? may he provided on ed of the horizontal portions. In order to hold the clamp steady, and to relieve the cable from the vertical component of the load of the fabric, I have prov ed guides, 28, which may be formed of light gauge steel; tubing, and which are adapted to engage keyhole slots 29 in the vertical portion 20 of the clamp.

The trolley mechanism may be supported above the table in any convenient manner. A preferred form is shown in the drawings, wherein the ends of the mechanism and the pulleys are supported by uprights. 29 and 30. mounted on the floor, and the intermediate portions of the trolley are supported by members, 31, which may be secured to the ceiling of the room. By supportingthe device in this manner, the ends of the trolley, where the load is greatest, may be securely supported from the floor, While the intermediate porthe shaft 32 are supported in shaft hangers of the usual type, 36 and 37. The shanks, 38 of the hangers, may be adjustably mounted in pedestals, 39, and may be secured in the desired position by means of setscrews, 40. The

pedestals are bolted to a cross member 41,

which is supported by the uprights 29.

The driving pulley, 17, (see Figs. 1 and 7) is mounted at the opposite end of the table. in a somewhat similar manner. The upright members, 30, support a transverse member 46, to which are secured pedestals, 47. Mounted on the pedestals are ournal bearings 48, in which the shaft, 49, may rotate. The pulley 17 may be keyed to the shaft by means of a 5 pin 50. A pulley, 51, may likewise be keyed to one end of the shaft by means of a pin, 52. In order to drive the shaft and the entire conveyor mechanism, a motor, 53, may be mounted adjacent one end of the bench, and

may be connected to the pulley, 51, by means of a belt, 54.

In order to support the guide members, 28, in proper relation to the cable, radially eX- tending rods, 55, may be secured to the circular portions of the hangers, 38 and 48, as

at 56, and to the guides, the rods, 42, being substantially L-shaped. The guides may be supported intermediately of the ends of the conveyor by similar L-shaped rods 57, which 4' may be secured to shafts, 58, which, in turn,

are supported by the members, 31. The rods and the rods 57 have a diameter less than the width of the slots 29 in the clamp, so that the clamps may pass by the supporting rods 45 without interference.

The motor, 53, is controlled through switches, 60 and 61, positioned at convenient points adjacent the ends of the bench. The wiring, (not shown), is arranged so that either switch may start or stop the motor.

The switch 61 is preferably connected to a flexible cord, 62, in order that it may be positioned at any convenient point near the end of the bench, whereby the switch will be within reach of an operator standing at the end of the piles of fabric, which may be of varying length.

In operation, one operator is stationed at the end of the bench adjacent the supply of n cloth, and another operator is stationed at the other end of the bench. The first operator pulls out a short length of cloth from the bolt or roll, and secures one corner of it to one of the clamps, which are secured to the 6 cable at frequent intervals, so that no matter what the position of the belt is when the machine is stopped, a clamp will always be with in reach of the operator. After the operator has secured the cloth to the clamp, he starts the motor by means of the switch, 60. The cloth is carried to the other end of the bench at such a speed that by reason of the tension on the cloth, and the action of the air underneath it, it is prevented from dragging onthe layers of cloth which have previously been placed upon the bench.

The cloth'is carried the entire length of the table in a few seconds, and, as it approaches the far end of the table, a second operator stops the motor by means of the switch, 61, and then disengages the fabric from the clamp by giving it a single jerk along the direction of movement of the fabric, as shown in Fig.4. Intermediate attendants may then smooth out any wrinkles which may be left in the cloth, and cause it to lie evenly upon the previous layers. After each strip is properly positioned, the first operator cuts off the fabric, and the operation is repeated as before.

Because of the rela lively high speed of the conveyor, and because of the fact that the formationof wrinkles is prevented by the flow of air underneath the fabric, and as it is settling down upon the pile, the operation of this device is exceedingly rapid, and T have found that a few tables equipped with my apparatus can produce as much work as a much larger number upon which the piles are formed by hand. Thus it will be seen that my apparatus effects a considerable saving in valuable factory space, as well as in time and labor.

From the foregoing description of a preferred form of my invention it will be seen that my method of forming piles of fabric is rapid and economical, and that the wrinkling of the fabric is eliminated, and the previouslyplaced strips of fabric are not disturbed by the placing of subsequent strips. While I have described a preferred form of apparatus, it must be understood that the method disclosed herein can be performed regardless of the apparatus employed, so long as the fabric is pulled out from a definitely located supply at such a rate of speed and in such a direction that the tension of the fabric and the pressure of the air thereunder will cooperate to prevent each strip from dragging on the layers of cloth which have been pre viously placed upon the bench. It will also be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and economical apparatus for the forming of piles of fabric, which may be easily constructed and which may be applied to existing installations, and which is so disposed as to not interfere with the work of the cutters when they operate upon the piles of fabric laid on the benches.

I claim:-

1. The method of piling layers of fabric, including the steps of mounting a supply of fabric adjacent one end of a bench on which the pile is to be formed, and pulling outstrips of fabric from the supply at a relatively high speed while supporting the advance end of the strip well above the bench, so thatthe tension of the fabric and the pressure of air thereunder will cooperate to prevent the fab ric dragging the previous layer of the pile on the bench during the travel of the strip from one end of the bench to the other.

2. The method of piling layers of fabric on a bench from a supply at the end of the bench, comprising temporarily anchoring the end of the fabric to an overhead conveyor extending lengthwise of the bench, starting the conveyor from a point adjacent the supply of fabric, stopping the conveyor from a point adjacent the other end of the bench, and removing the anchored end of the fabric from the conveyor.

3. The method of piling layers of fabric comprising mounting a supply of such fabric across the end of a long bench on which the ile is to be formed, gathering the advance end of the fabric, and clamping such gathered portion to an overhead conveyor, operating the conveyor rapidly to pull the fabric lengthwise of the bench and from the supply substantially through the air, removing the advance end of the fabric from the clamp adjacent the distant end of the table, and depositing the fabric on the preceding layers.

4. In combination, a bench on which piles of fabric are to be formed, and an endless loop conveyor disposed above the bench and having a set of periodically positioned clamps adapted to engage a strip of fabric, whereby the fabric may be pulled from one end of the table to the other.

5. In combination, a bench on which a pile of fabric is to be formed, a support for a supply of fabric positioned adjacent one end of the bench, and overhead conveyor means movable lengthwise of the bench and having a set of periodically positioned clamps attached thereto, any one of which is adapted to engage one corner of the strip of fabric.

6'. The combination in an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, of a bench, means for supporting a supply of fabric adjacent one end of the bench, a conveyor mechanism supported above the bench, a set of clamps carried by the conveyor mechanism and adapted to be quickly attached to and detached from the end portion of the fabric, means for driving; the conveyor mechanism, and means for controlling the driving mechanism.

7. The combination in an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, of a bench, a conveyor mechanism supported above the bench, a clamp carried by the conveyor mechanism and adapted to be quickly attached to and detached from the fabric, means for driving the conveyor mechanism, and means adjacent opposite ends of the bench for starting and stopping the conveyor respectively.

8. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, the combination of a bench disposed within a room, means for supporting a supply of fabric at one end of the bench, conveyor mechanism for carrying a strip of fabric from one end of the bench to the other, and means for supporting said conveyor mechanism at various intermediate points from the ceilin of the room, whereby the side of the bench will be unobstructed.

9. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, the combination of a table, an endless flexible member supported above substan tially the entire length of the table, guides supported above the table, and a plurality of fabric engaging clamps secured to the flexible member and guided by said guides.

10. In an apparatus for piling layers of fal ric, the combination of a long table, an endless cable supported in a vertical plane above the table and extending lengthwise thereof, guides supported above the table on either side of the cable, and a plurality of fabric engaging clamps secured to the cable, said clamps being guided by said guides.

11. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, the combination of a bench disposed within a room, conveyor mechanism comprising longitudinal guides supported from the ceiling of the room, a propelling mechanism and a clamp secured to said mechanism and slidably engaging the guides.

12. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, the combination of a bench on which the fabric is to be piled, a driven pulley supported adjacent one end of the bench, a driving pulley supported adjacent the other end of the bench, a motor for driving said driving pulley, an endless cable supported by said driving and driven pulleys, a clamp secured to said endless cable, a guide for said clamp extending in a direction substantially parallel to the cable, and means for controlling said motor from both ends of the bench.

13. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, the combination of a bench on which the fabric is to be piled, means for supporting a supply of fabric adjacent one end of the bench, a driven pulley supported adjacent one end of the bench, a driving pulley sup ported adjacent the other end of the bench, an electric motor for driving said driving pulley, an endless cable supported by said driving and driven pulley and lying in a vertical plane substantially centrally over the bench, a plurality of clamps secured to said endless cable and adapted to engage the fabric, guides for said clamps extending in the direction substantially parallel to the cable and on opposite sides thereof, supports for said guides, and means for controlling said motor.

14:. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, propelling mechanism, a clamp secured thereto, said clamp comprising a portion having an aperture therein, and a fabricengaging bar slidably supported by said portion and adjacent the aperture, whereby tension on the fabric in one direction will cause the bar to clamp the fabric against one edge of the aperture and tension on the fabric in the other direction will cause the fabric to be released.

15. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, a conveyor mechanism and means for attaching a strip of fabric to the conveyor mechanism, said means having a portion thereof extending in a plane substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor and having an aperture therein, and a bar positioned adjacent the aperture and slidably mounted on said portion.

16. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, the combination of a conveyor mechanism, a clamp secured to the conveyor mechanism having a fabric engaging portion disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor mechanism and having an aperture therein, a fabric-engaging bar disposed adjacent said aperture and slidably mounted on said fabric engaging portion, and means for limiting the sliding movement of said bar in one direction.

17. In an apparatus for piling layers of fabric, the combination of a fabric clamp, means for moving the clamp and means for guiding the clamp comprising a hollow, tubular member adapted to be slidably engaged by the clamp.

18. In combination, a bench on which piles of fabric are to be formed, and conveyor means disposed above the bench and having a clamp adapted to engage a strip of fabric, said clamp having a movable member adapted to be set by the tension of the fabric, whereby the fabric may be pulled from one end of the bench to the other.

19. The combination, with means for holding a supply of cloth, of a propelling mechanism, and a clamp carried thereby and having a bar over which a gathered portion of the cloth may be hung and having means to cooperate with the bar to pinch the free end portion of the gathered cloth between them.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

LOUIS N. GROSS. 

